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Jeremy Clarkson Was Right All Along About Speed Limits

Apr. 30, 2018 5:50 PM ET by Jared Rosenholtz / 20 Comments Variable speed limits in Britain are a complete nightmare. Although it may be an unpopular opinion, one of our favorite parts of old Top Gear was when Clarkson, May, and Hammond sat down to talk about the latest cars and complain about driving in the UK. One of the biggest hot button issues at the time was the variable speed limits of British highways during times of construction and congestion (which was basically all the time). As it turns out, these speed limits are still very much an issue, as Evo's Lee Stern reports. Even after so many years, Clarkson is still right about the silly speed limits. Brabus In the UK, the speed limit on most highways is 70 mph. The issues arrise when the government lowers the speed limit to 50 or 60 mph due to congestion or construction. Back in 2013, 7,064 people were pulled over for speeding in a variable speed limit zone. In 2017, 72,348 people were pulled over (according to police data). Of the ticketed motorists, 67% were traveling at or below 69 mph, indicating they likely thought their speed was safe and appropriate. In response to the issue, Highways England's chief executive, Jim O'Sullivan, said the rules have caused "dissatisfaction" among drivers. He added, "nobody has a perfect product and there is some room for improvement on how those limits are set." O'Sullivan still says the variable speed limits are necessary because "we have to set the speed limit before the congestion appears. If you don't set the limit before there is no point having the speed limits." Clearly some changes are needed, because motorists shouldn't be punished for driving at a safe speed when the road is open and safe. Since 2013, the number of ticket motorists had increased ten fold, indicating a need for change. Even after all these years, Clarkson's remarks on speed limits still hold true. Amazon Studios

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Ford Focus RS Jared Rosenholtz Editor-at-Large After graduating with an MBA, Jared pursued his love of cars by becoming an automotive journalist. An internship with CarBuzz grew into his current position as Editor At Large. Jared now spends most of his time evaluating new vehicles and chasing the latest news stories in the automotive industry. When he’s not attending Cars & Coffee events on the weekend, Jared loves to watch NFL football and cruise around with the top down in his German convertible. Contact Jared @Carsnbites @jar_rosenholtz LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top